Tool for removing feeders or sprues from ingots and the like



NQV 1943- W. w. GROSSETT TOOL FOR REMOVING FEEDERS OR SPRUES FROM INGOTS AND THE LIKE Filed DB0. 9, 1941.

INVENTOR W/L L/AM //I/. 634 0 Patente d Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED 1 STAT Es TOOL FOR REMOVING FEEDER- S on-srrwas i p 3FROM INGOTS AND THELIKE William w. Grossett, Munha ll -Pai, assi n ilto Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corpora-- tion' of ew Jersey Application'December 9, 19 l1,'SerialNo."422,302

' '2 Claims. o1.-2si4+s2) "This invention' relates'to a tool and, particularly,to an improved tool for removing feeders or sprues from castings, such as ingots and" the like.

In the-steel industry it is common practice, in

casting ingots,-to pourthe moltensteel into asi series of ingot molds at one time. That is, the

bottoms of the molds are interconneoted'by means ofa runner with the molten steel poured into the runnen'fromwhich the molten steel passes into the ingot molds connected thereto at 710 the bottom thereof. Such a method of pouring is generally known as bottom pouring and is a desirable method, particularly for pouring alloy steel ingots. After'the pouring :of the molten W steel into the runner and themolds have been filled and thesteel has solidified therein, the

molds 'are 'lifted 'or stripped from .the. ingots. After such strippingoperation, it will be seen that the ingots are connected. together by a seriesof 'feedersor sprues formed bythes'olidification of I the excess metal in the. runner. .It is, of course, necessary that the connecting feeders or sprues be brokenand removed from .the bottom of the .ingots, .soas to provide a plurality of individualk gs ingots, before the ingots can be charged into furnaces for preheating for further processinggor be moved to another position within theplant.

Heretofore,-,it was the usual practice-to break .thesefeeders orsprues from the molds by means -.of;a-wire ropesling wrapped: orvlooped aroundi-the feeders ,or sprues, with the slingattached to the "hook of :an overhead :crane.

The feeders so connected to the crane hook were then broken-from rthe ingots by swinging the ingots bymeans of the crane against a pile of ingota'condemned molds, "or any other suitable'solldmassof material, until the'feeders or sprues were broken from-the ingots.

The use of a wire rope sling has provedunsatisfactory for the reason that, the sling is rapidly" heated, and is crushed and kinked so severely that it has to be replaced after it is used but once, thereby necessitating frequent replacement.

Furthermore, the sling did not grasp the feeders or sprues very securely and oftentimes the sling would tend to slip therealong and therefrom. Accordingly, the present invention relates to an improved tool for grasping and removing such feeders or sprues from ingots and the like whereby the above named disadvantages are eliminated.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved tool or device for breaking feeders or sprues from ingots and the like which is simple and inexpensive in its construction and,

proved tool of my invention;

together with the workpiece; v

at the same time, a toolwhich isfefiicient and effective in its use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an'improved 'tool or device for breaking feeders or sprues from ingots and the like which fi'rinly grips .the reeders or s'prues' and" which may be locked securely i'n position'thereon, thereby eliminating the dangerof having the tool accidentally *sliptherefrom.

It is a-further'object of thisinvention to provide an'improv'e'dtool or device for breaking feeders or sprues' ffrom-ingo'ts and the like which is "flexible and adaptable for -u'se with feeders "or sprues which vary in diameter over' a relatively 'wide range and which have an'adjustable locking means arranged therewith. 1]

Various other objects and advantages or this invention-will become more apparent during the course 'ofthe following specification and will be 0 particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing there is shown, 'for'the purpose" of illustration, one embodiment "which myinvention may assume in practice.

In'the drawing: r r v Figurel is a front elevational' view of the in}.

Figure 2 is" a side elevational' v w thereof; "Figure '3'is aside elevational view similar to Figure 2, showing a'complet'e assembly of the tool,

Figure 4 is" a plan view of 'the'pin member incorporated with my improved toolfarid' Figure )5 is an end View of the pin member shown in Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the improved tool of my invention consists of a body -member 2 having a'hook-sh'aped portion '3 ar- "ranged on the lower end thereof. shaped portion 3 consists preferably of a shank 4, "a jaw portion 5, and a point 6." The jaw portion} is preferablyof such width 'a s to provide arela- The hooktively broad-faced surface 1 on the inner side of the jaw 5 opposite the throat portion 8. There is arranged, through the hook-shaped portion 3, a pair of aligned openings or holes 9 with one of the holes arranged in the shank portion 4 and the other hole arranged directly opposite thereto in the point 6. The holes 9 are preferably elliptical or oval in shape and are spaced from the inner broad surface of the jaw 5.

There is provided a wedge, preferably in the form of a tapered pin member In, which is adapted to be disposed through the pair of aligned holes 9 in the hook-shaped portion 3. The pin member 10 also has preferably an ellipticaloroval-shaped'cross-section and the holes 9 are preferably substantially larger than the diameter of the pin III, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. One end of the pin member I is connected to the body member 2, preferably on the back side thereof as at i3,.by means of a flexible member, such as a chain l2. It is the purpose of the chainto keep the pin member ill attached to the body member at all times so I that the pin is ready for use and so as to pre vent the pin from becoming lost or mislaid.

There is also arranged on the back side of the an eye portion ii for receiving a pin or, bolt it.

There is also attached to the bolt l6 preferably j a clevis member I 'l'fortthe purpose-of attaching the tool to the hook of a chain or similar apparatusr That is; the clevis TI] is pivotally attached to the eye portion Ivofthe body member by means ofthe bolt 18.; i I

The improved tool ofqmy invention isusedin the following manner. After the ingots or castings have been poured and themetal hassolidifled therein, and the molds stripped from the ingots, the tool of the present invention is .positioned around the i'eeder or sprue of the i ingots by means ofthe handle carried thereby, with the feeder orisprue being disposed in the throat portion. 8 oi the tool and against the inner broad-faced surface 1 of the jaw portioni. 'The pin member I0 is then inserted in the aligned holes a, with the in straddling or bridging the feeder or sprue, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, so as to provide a wedging-action against the top 01' the feeder-0r sprue. vIt will be understood that the pin is driven into place in the holes 9 so; that the feeder or sprue is securely positioned-against the broad-faced surface I of the jaw 5, with the; lower side 01 the pin bearing against the top of the feeder or sprue. It will be seen that the feeder or sprue is then securely and firmly held in position 1 the hook-v shaped portion of the tool.

By providing such a construction, vvillbe seen that'the pin I0 is held against the feeder or sprue with any desired pressure, depending on how far the pin is drivenin'to the holes.

'Iheclevis I1 is then attached or hooked over the'end of the book of an overhead crane or similar apparatus and the feeder being firmly gripped bythe tool; is ,thenabroken from the ingot by swinging the same against another pile of ingots, condemned molds, or othersolid mass of material. After the feeder or sprue has been broken from the ingot or casting, the pin I9 is driven frompositionin the aligned holes 9 and the feeder or sprue removed from the hookshaped portion 01' the tool.

It will be seen that, due to the fact that the holes 9 are substantially larger than the pin iii, the tool of the present invention can'be used forremoving various sized feeders or sprues from castings or ingots. It will be understood that the 'pairioi aligned-holes9 ttgether with the pin member ID whichcooperates therewith, are elllpticalor oval-shaped to maintain the pin.

in substantiallya vertical plane at all times.'

That is, the elliptical cross-section of the holes Y and pin-will prevent the pin from rolling in the holes when the tool is in ,use, which is a decided advantage. I I I As a result of my invention, it will be seen that there' isprovided a tool for removing feeders or sprues from ingots and castings which is convenient and-sate in its use and, at the same time, a tool which firmly grips the object, or feeder so ,thatthe same is securely held in engagement with the tool, regardless of the directionofipull by the tool. t I V n 4 WhileI have shown and described one specific e embodiment of I my invention. it will be understood that this embodiment is merelyiorthe purpose of illustration and description and that various other forms may be devised withinthe scope of my inventiomas defined in the appended claims.v i a m 7.;

I claim: e v V Y i 1. :A tool for removing i'eedersi or sprues from ingots and the like'comprising abody' member havin a relatively broadfaced hook-shaped pertion arrangedon thelower end thereof; aremovable tapered cylindrical pin member said f body member having a pair 01 aligned elliptical shaped holes; arranged transversely through i the hook-shaped portion thereof at a spaced distance from the bottom or saidjlroolk-shaped portion in which holes the tapered pin. is adaptedjto be,

adjustably disposed ,for retaining the hookshaped portionin engagement with the feeder k or sprue to be grasped thereby with each o1 said holes having a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of said pin, and meansarranged on the upper end of said body member 'iorconnecting thetool to a manipulating means.

2. A tool' for removingieeders orspru es'from ingots and the like, as defined in claim 1, including a handle member arranged on the backside of said body member for manipulating the same together with the hook-shaped portion carried thereby. t t V 3. A tool for removing feeders or sprues from ingots and the like, as defined in claim lg'wherein the means for connecting the tool to amanipulating means consists of a clevis member pivotally connected to the body member adjacent the top thereof. i 1 WILLIAM W. GROSSETT. 

